Published 3:40 am, Monday, April 25, 2016

The television network ESPN made news last past week by firing baseball analyst Curt Schilling after he posted comments on Facebook critical of transgender rights.

The post, according to the Associated Press, included an image of a man wearing a long blond wig and revealing women’s clothing and the phrase, “Let him in! To the restroom with your daughter or else you’re a narrow minded, judgmental, unloving, racist bigot who needs to die!!!”

The network, according to the AP, had previously suspended Schilling from the Little League World Series last year over a tweet in which he compared Muslim extremists to Nazi-era Germans.

It was not a surprise to hear such public criticism of transgender rights. There are many in our community who agree with Schilling and question the need to fire the analyst. Does ESPN have the right to do what they did? You bet.

We keep hearing and reading that Schilling’s First Amendment rights were violated. We don’t see it that way, because businesses have rights, too. In this case, Schilling’s public comments are not representative of ESPN’s views. The company should have the opportunity to discipline, including the termination of an employee, who doesn’t represent the company.

We find this to be no different than how country music stations stopped playing the Dixie Chicks after a comment in 2003 about then-President George W. Bush. We heard some inaccurately cite the First Amendment in their defense as well. They, too, were wrong.

We enjoy the discussion that typically follows heated political statements. Often there is the threat of boycotts. We remember those who called for boycotts of Chick-fil-A after reports that the family that operates the fast-food restaurant donated to anti-LGBT organizations. That boycott didn’t work out as some had hoped.

There have been celebrity boycotts of states passing measures seen as unfriendly to the LGBT community. We will see if the power of the purse ultimately creates a need to make changes to legislation.

Some are calling for boycotts of ESPN, arguably the most powerful broadcaster of sports programming in America with agreements to broadcast the National Football League, Big Ten and Southeast Conference football, Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, among others. We will see if there is any impact there.

In the end, those who support the Dixie Chicks or Schilling have every right to make their voices heard. And there is nothing wrong with healthy protest. The First Amendment says Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech.

But companies have rights, too -- something we believe often gets lost -- and if an employee doesn’t act in a way that a company believes isn’t in its best interest, then that company should be allowed to handle it in a way that is appropriate. The First Amendment protects free speech, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences to that speech.